The Hero of Ages
by Omega.King.of.The.Night
Summary: Perseus Jackson, a name that will alter history from the very beginning. Born in the first dynasty of Ancient Egypt, read as he conquers the greatest challenges a mortal has ever faced. Mixing the Gods was bound to cause Chaos, and that's Percy's destiny. Your reviews mean the world to me, so make sure to drop a comment, question, or suggestion.
1. My First Birthday Sucks

**{Memphis, Ancient Egypt; 3100 BC}**

The sun had long past set, Ra completing his daily journey several hours before and the full moon hung high in the sky casting her pale light on the sunbaked city. Inside her walls a woman clutching tightly a concealed package dashes through the streets fleeing from the pursuing group of soldiers. Her features were regal and sharp and she had beautiful carmel skin. Under her cloak she wore amulets and the bracelets of royalty. Her golden eyes usually playful and warm were stricken with fear as she dodged obstacles turning this way and that. The soldiers torches flashed behind her lighting up the dim alleyways, flames causing the shadows to run wild.

The woman risked a glance behind her to see that the soldiers were getting closer and she knew she had little time left. She muttered a curse to the sea god who had won her over with the stories of power and near infinite domain, and how he would whisk her away from Narmer. She should've known it was doomed to fail whenever she mixed the blood of the pharaoh's with a foreign god. Dodging an overhanging raft, Neithhotep ran to the river Nile's shore where she finally removed her bundle. Wrapped in deep blue linen cloth, lay a sleeping baby unaware of the mortal danger it faced.

"Oh my baby, I never meant to bring this upon you, but if your brother Hor-Aha was too find out about you he would kill you without question. Please know that I do this for your own good." Snatching a basket from the nearby dock, she placed the baby inside and spoke the divine word _N-Dah_. A shining blue hieroglyph appeared above the baby's head the basket was coated in a blue glow.

"Go to the House of Life, they will protect you and teach you until you are ready." Silently offering a prayer to her patron goddess Nephthys, she pushed the basket out into the river where the currents caught it and soon it was lost in the reeds. Soon after the basket was out of sight, soldiers burst onto the dock and seized Neithhotep dragging her back to the palace never to see her son again.

 **{Heliopolis, Ancient Egypt; A couple days later}**

A young man stands in the river Nile filling his jug for the elementalist training he was leading later. Hemetre is his name and he is a scribe of the First Nome of the House of Life in the city. A noise to his left draws his attention, but he sees nothing at first. He then lowers his vision to see the Duat as well and the brightest beam of blue light is shooting out from within the thickets of reeds. Walking towards it, he also hears the soft mewing of a baby for its mother. Hurrying his pace he found a deep blue basket bobbing up and down in the water containing the source of the light. Switching back to normal vision, he looks upon a young baby no older than 4 days old alone with no mother in sight. The baby had a natural sun kissed tan, and pure jet black hair. His most amazing features were his eyes however, a hypnotizing sea green-blue mix with golden flecks.

As he reached towards the basket to grab the baby an alligator pounced on Hemetre out of nowhere. The water rushed from the area leaving a circle of dry land with just the gator and Hemetre. Before he could draw his wand he was pinned to the ground the beast stared into his eyes and he thought he heard a voice in his head say, "Protect my son." Then the alligator dissolved into mist, and the water rushed back into the displaced area. Picking the baby up he saw the stitching in the linen, gold hieroglyphs beautifully sown spelling out the name that would change the world. Perseus.


	2. I Set A Bowl On Fire

**{Heliopolis, Ancient Egypt; Ten Years Later}**

"Close Perseus, but you must rid your mind of all other thoughts if you wish to channel the elements." I heard Hemetre shout as I combated the shabti infront of me. It lunged at me with it's trident and I barely dodged, dropping to the ground and quickly rolling out of the way to avoid further attacks. My wand had already been shattered when I deflect a glancing blow that would have gutted me early in the battle. All I had left was my spruce staff topped with a flawless sapphire which I tried desperately to channel water out of. " _Iai khaw_!" I yelled and the sapphire began to glow with a blinding light, and water burst from the staff in a powerful jet stream punching a hole straight through the shabti's chest and into the wall behind it. The clay creature looked down at the wound and then collapsed into a pile of pottery shards.

"Well done, well done!" Hemetre clapped as he walked down into the arena to congratulate me. "Already you advance much further then any of your fellow initiates." With a flick of his wrist a gold glowing hieroglyph, _Hi-nehm,_ flew towards the rubble and the pile of pottery began to fly together.

"I am proud of you my boy, I knew that the House made a wise decision when we decided to bring you under our care. Even as a baby I knew you had greatness inside of you." He praised leading me down the tunnel back to the city. Once we ascended out of the dimly lit tunnel, my eyes adjusted to the bright sun beaming down on the marketplace and I saw the fullness of life around me. Here shopkeepers had set up their stalls bartering with passerby's selling magical remedies and holy amulets. People, magical and non, jostled around going this way in a constant mesh of chaos. I even saw a man leading a lion on a leash as it struggled against it's owners pull. Hemetre led me in that direction stopping to put his hand on the beast's head and a _Ha-tep_ appeared above its head calming the beast until it was dormant. The man offered a quick prayer of thanks to Hemetre before pulling the beast away.

"Why did you do that?" I asked, "You always teach me to use magic sparingly and only in dire need."

"Yes my boy, but anytime our magic can help others even in the smallest of ways it is our duty to do so. Such is the way of the House." He answered without a hint of doubt in his voice. I pondered this the entire walk to back to the headquarters of the House. Stopping at the feet of the sphinx Hemetre looked back at me and asked, "Would you do the honors?"

Excitedly I ran to smooth sandstone wall between the paws and traced the frame of a doorway with my staff, then planted it in the sand. A ghostly sphinx phased out of the wall and looked at me with knowing eyes, "What is your business here young one."

"My name is Perseus, initiate of the First Nome and this is Hemetre, Sem Priest to Chief Lector Ammon. We seek passage into the halls of the Chief Lector and the study of the House students." I answered with full confidence.

"Pass young one, and I bid you good luck on your destiny"

The outlined area began to shake as the block of sandstone sunk into the sand revealing a brightly lit antechamber with doors leading off to different rooms. "Go to your class Perseus, I will meet you when the day is done."

Rushing to the second to last door on the end of the hall, I mentally prepared myself for a scolding. After doing several sets of deep breathing I opened the door as quietly as possible and shut it without causing a disturbance. The other initiates were still scrying and peering deeply into the bowls while Scribe Abysa laid back against the wall. Creeping to my usual seat I thought I had gotten away with my lateness, but as I was sitting down the scrying bowl got bumped and made a long gong like noise.

"Look who decided to actually participate in class, Perseus I'm certain you have an excellent excuse for your tardiness this time as well?" Abysa said with disdain dripping from her voice.

"I was training with my uncle and time slipped away from us, I apologize Mistress it will not happen again." I replied, but at the time I didn't realize I would never have the chance to be late again.

"Oh yes the great magician Hemetre, how is he? Still licking the sandal straps of Chief Lector Ammon?" She taunted knowing it would push me to get myself in greater trouble.

I felt a tug in my gut that I hadn't felt before and the oil in all of the scrying bowls began to ripple and overflow onto the ground. Somehow I knew that it was me that was controlling the liquid, but I had no clue as to how. As far as I knew there was no spell for complete control over liquids, unless perhaps for a water elementalist expert. And I would've doused her with it if a hand had not grabbed mine breaking my concentration.

"Percy, please stop. She's just trying to goad you on so she had another thing to hold over your uncle." Jade pleaded with me. Before I go on I should probably tell you more about her. Jade was of royal blood, second daughter of Hor-Aha and she looked the part. Her deep carmel skin radiated with warmth and her obsidian jet black hair adorned with different gems flowed to her hips. Her eyes were a pure purple, and they always had concern in them, most of the time directed towards me. She and I had met during a palace parade whenever she may have saved my hand from getting chopped off because I may have borrowed an orange from the sacrificial brazier. In all honesty why did the god's need it anyway they couldn't eat smoke, and most of the time ignored us here on Earth.

I calmed down, and the liquids returned to their placid state, and settled with simply giving her a nasty glare. Everyone returned to scrying now that the excitement had passed and I whispered the spell while touching the bowl to activate it. " _Yaraa_!" and the bowl flickered to life, I became completely engrossed in it as the images changed before me at a constant pace. I saw the farms being tilled, the Nile flooding bringing nutrients to the soil, the endless desert with it's cavernous wasteland. The images begin to flip faster until I could only catch glimpses; great pyramids being built, a flaming boat arising into the heavens, sand blowing over an ancient city burying it, a boat carrying brave heroes on an adventure, a city under siege and then presented a great horse, the collapse of a civilization as golden plated warriors pillaged a city. Building of large colosseums, constructs with large pillars and a painted roof, emperors leading their people. Then it turned into a blur zooming past until it came to rest on a single frozen image of a blonde haired girl with stormy gray eyes. Then of course my bowl erupted into flames and would have singed my face if Jade hadn't kicked it out of the way.

I later realized that I had been sitting there in a trance for pretty much the entire day and towards the end smoke started to come off my skin. Apparently I was burning up from the inside out, but they had been unable to move me or the scrying bowl.

Glancing up I saw the concerned faces of Jade and Hemetre, while the entire class gathered behind them. "Um, hey guys. How are you?" I asked before I proceeded to pass out.


	3. Spirit Joyrides Aren't Good Times

While I was passed out I floated in and out of reality and consciousness, and to be completely honest I wasn't sure which was which. Several times I saw the faces of Hemetre and Jade above me, but their words just sounded like static. Once I even saw the Chief Lector and Hemetre talking and could make out bits and pieces of their conversation. "He doesn't belong here and if he stays he won't be safe." "You know as well as I do that someday he will change the world as we know it." "Yes, but that day will not be in our time, use the spell only when the time is right." That's when they saw I was coming too and quickly hushed. Hemetre made me drink a brownish-black potion that frankly tasted like sand mixed with scorpion poison, and yes I spoke from experience.

"Sleep my boy, you'll need your strength. The road ahead of you stretches much further than any could imagine." Chief Lector Ammon said with a soothing voice. I could feel myself slipping away once again as darkness washed over me.

The next time I woke, I was watching myself sleep. Now I had heard stories from Hemetre about when a person's body sleeps that part of their soul, the ba, was free to roam without restrictions. That wasn't even close to preparing me to look down and see that my usual body had been replaced by some type of bird with feathers. Also, I was see through, like the sphinx early that day, or depending on how long I had slept earlier that week.

I saw Hemetre sitting in an arm chair next to my bed, and for the first time in a while I saw how tired he looked. I mean he looked completely drained, with bags under his blood shot kohl lined eyes, and his usual strong firm expression was replaced with one of fear and uncertainty. He was lips were moving, but he talked in a hushed whisper and I realized he was praying too the gods to save me. I leaned over to touch his shoulder, but my wing just passed through and it hit me that I wasn't truly there.

Before I could dwell on it any longer, a strong wind started to pull me out of the infirmary and down the hall back to the main entryway. Another gust blew me straight through the walls at the end of the room and into the Hall of Ages. It was a small room with two differently lighted sections gold and silver, the first depicting the Age of the Gods; Ra coming out of the Sea of Chaos, the daily battle against Apophis, Osiris being crowed the pharaoh of the gods, but Set's subsequent betrayal, and finally Horus avenging his father and taking the throne.

The silver section was shorter than the first by much, and seemed like it had just started only showing Narmer uniting the kingdoms and the current pharaoh Hor-Aha addressing the people. Behind Hor-Aha stood a woman with black flowing hair and golden eyes, seeing her caused a twinge in my gut and a feeling of nostalgia came over me. Before I could dwell on it long the gust blew me to the throne where Hor-Aha sat whenever he visited the House, and on the steps sat Chief Lector Ammon.

Hieroglyphs floated off of him and went in all different directions filling the room, until they faded into nothing. He sat deep in thought looking at a scrying bowl, and with a start I realized it was the one I had used judging by the singe marks on the side. His head snapped up and looked where I was staring right at me, causing me to take a couple paces back.

"Something the matter sir?" came a voice from behind the dark curtains that I identified as Abysa.

The Chief Lector stared into me for a few more moments before shaking his head and saying, "No Abysa, just an old man growing older." She came out and stood behind him asking, "Master, the boy what do you see in him that I cannot? I know you secretly study divination, and perhaps am the only one privy to that information. So why can you not trust me with even the smallest of glimpses into the child's future."

"Sometimes knowing the future is a bigger burden than one can bear without losing their mind. They struggle to alter it, to fix mistakes they haven't even made and in doing so they set in motion a chain of events even worse than what would have originally occurred. The boy has a long destiny in front of him, one that will expand even past our dynasty and he will change the world over and over." Ammon said with a sigh, "He will face tragedy like none of us have ever knew and be hurt to the point of breaking, such was his fate since he was born."

Abysa sat down next to the Chief Lector and they sat like that for a long time until I felt my ba whisked out of the room and back to the infirmary.

I sat up with a start and gasped for air. Hemetre ran to my side and put a hollow reed to my lips urging me to drink, and at first I recoiled at the taste. It didn't taste like a juice or any potion I've drank before, instead it tasted of the warm honeyed biscuits that Jade always brought me when I was down. I drank down the entire glass before even stopping to take a breathe, and the most surprising thing was the perfectly unmelted ice cubes at the bottom of the glass, even though the drink tasted, without a doubt, like it had just come out of the oven.

"What did it taste like?" Hemetre asked, sounding slightly wistful.

"I am so sorry, I should've saved some for.." I trailed off when he started to shake his head.

"No, no, no my boy. That would've done more harm to me then it would've helped. I would've burned up from the inside, but you drank it all without a problem.. you truly are special." Hemetre answered.

"What do you mean? What was that stuff? And how long was I out?"

"You were like this for 6 days now, just floating in and out of being awake. And its just some medicine I acquired from a mountain tribe up north, squeezed from the nectar of the blessed fruits on Mount Olympus."

"I've never heard of it before, is it important?"

"In time I feel it will be, but for now we should get you moving about." and Hemetre helped me too my feet. "How do you feel?"

"Surprisingly amazing, reinvigorated. Like I could go through ten training sessions and not even break a sweat." And I jumped up and down to test my how my body was holding up and apart from my foot being asleep everything was back to normal, actually better than normal. Like I had just taken a direct shot of energy into my blood stream.

"Amazing.. Well we must go see the Chief Lector, he was very concerned about you collapsing as you did. He had never seen anything like it in all his years, and that's saying something. "

It was then that I remembered my vision in ba-bird form. Now that I was awake I was sure that he was talking about me, and too be frankly honest it sorta scared me. I considered telling Hemetre about it, but then thought of the first thing I saw on my spiritual journey; Hemetre at his weakest. Looking at his face convinced me that I should just keep it too myself, no need in getting him worked up over nothing.

We walked out the door and followed the same path I had taken as a ba, dispelling the small lingering thought that I had simply made it all up. Except whenever we came to the wall, Hemetre closed his eyes and pushed his hand outward in the air and the wall started to fold in on itself until we were left with a doorway big enough for two too pass through. As we crossed the threshold the wall started to self-repair itself until it was flawless erasing any trace of a entry even being there.

The Chief Lector was sitting in the same spot I had seen him in before, but there was no sign of the bowl. He was dressed in the priestly robes of the Chief Lector, a rich purple adorned with golden lining and his amethyst capped ivory staff sat on the stairs next to him.

"How do you feel Perseus? Anything different, changed at all?" He questioned, while looking me up and down like I would grow a third arm or something.

"No sir, perfectly normal. However, I am feeling a little cooped up been in the infirmary for too long." I responded hoping to win myself some free time to explore out of pity.

The Chief Lector's eyes shined and he nodded saying, "That's perfect, you see I have a task that will get you up and about as well as testing the extent of your recovery. Tell me boy have you ever travelled to Nubia?"


	4. Rhinos and Gold and Leopards, Oh My!

**{Nubia, Ancient Egypt}**

The hot blazing sun bore down on the raft that was slowly floating through the lazy river, causing its occupants to sweat and seek shade under the canopy that had been erected.

"How much further must we sail Uncle, its been three days already and we haven't seen a port anywhere." I whined trying to fan myself with the long, wide leaves I picked off the riverside.

"Soon, it's not too far from here I promise. But if you're so hot why don't you take a dip in the river, we're far from any crocodile infested waters." Hemetre answered while peering over the railing as to check.

"Beats sitting around I suppose, I'll race you to the bank Jade!" I yelled, ripping off my shirt as quick as possible and dove into the cool waters below.

"Knock yourself out." Came the lazy response as she read through a scroll she'd borrowed from the library at the First Nome. Jade was always studying contrasting my more of a go with the flow lifestyle, raising my personal beliefs of opposites attracting. As well as the fact that she was literal royalty and I was an orphaned nobody.

"The water's perfect Jade, you're missing outtttt!" As I tried without reward to get her to relax. "Fine, the river's all mine." And I dove under the surface of the surf with that remark.

I know that most of Egyptians didn't really like swimming in the river or really having anything to do with it other then for the nutrients the river brought whenever it flooded or in some forms of elementalist magic, but for some reason I always felt a sense of calm and clearing of mind whenever I swam. Just mark it down as another reason why I'm an oddball and don't belong, but I didn't have a care in the world as I sank to the river bed and opened my eyes.

The Nile River teemed with life just below the surface, fish swam past me and darted this way and that paying me no heed. A barracuda swam right up to my face and stared me in the eyes and before I was able to react it bowed it's head in some sort respect and swam the opposite direction. I walked or rather swam around the bottom of the river inspecting the inhabitants of the river bed. Little crabs crawled around sometimes picking fights with one another claws clashing as if swords. Nearby catfish fed off the bottom, acting as a natural filter for the river cleaning up the remains of others. I just sat and studied the scene around me, watching the animals interact with each other, while also following the boats progress above me.

Realizing I had been under for quite a long time I started to propel myself upwards to the surface before I broke through, shooting up in the air and landed on the deck, raining down water droplets like rain on the small raft soaking Hemetre and our driver. Jade was protected underneath the canopy and barely spared a glance at my dramatic entrance.

"Perseus my boy, just in time it seems we have arrived at the port city of Nubia, the center of the lands gold mining and exportation. " Hemetre said attempting to quickly dry himself off. I looked at where he had pointed and saw the city and it took my breath away. Almost every household was two stories tall and it was built into a hill so that the terrain naturally sloped upwards giving it a daunting figure. Also the lords manor stood a pure white marble, a stark contrast to the tan sand brick homes surrounding it. But the most amazing part was that the buildings themselves were adorned with gold, reflecting the sun's rays and creating a spectacle of light on the river.

When we docked, Hemetre payed the driver and he started his journey back upstream. The docks themselves were made of a dark wood with market stalls set up every couple steps, vendors trying to sell us all different assortments of fish and sea life, as well as 'miracle cure' made from the algae of the Nile. We pushed past them, Hemetre brandishing his staff as a warning sign for any who felt the need to get to close.

We reached where the dock met the land and Hemetre paused as if waiting for someone before saying, "Here comes our ride now."

I felt it coming before I saw it, every so often the ground would shake just a little as if something very large was coming our way. Then I looked to the source and saw a gray beast lumbering towards us at break neck speed. It had two startling white horns jutting from its snout, one larger than the other, and gold chains linked the back horn to the saddle on its back. On the saddle sat a dark-skinned man wearing the traditional Egyptian garb, but he laughed wildly at the sight of people staring at the beast in awe.

"Uncle, what in the world is that thing…" I asked, indadvertedly backing up into Jade causing us both to stumble.

"That is a rhino, actual not a magical creature believe or not, but admittedly bigger than most." Hemetre laughed and hailed the beast over as one would a cart on the street.

It slowed down until it was trotting and came to a complete stop before us, and I got to take in the full extent of the beast's size. It was easily the size of a fishing boat and just as wide, and it stood at roughly twice my height.

"Macario at your service, I assume you are the mages from the House of Life that Lord Sahib sent for." I responded by simply nodding my head speechless triggering a chuckle from Macario, "Seeing the rhino for the first time does that too most people, come hop on I promise it's a lot faster than walking."

Once we had all climbed on to the beast's back, with some struggle, Marcario kicked the rhino with his heels and it huffed before breaking into a gallop gaining speed until the wind whipped around us earning me a mouthful of Jade's locks, sadly they didn't taste as good as they looked.

We were moving at such high speeds that when I looked to the sides the building started to blur together, a colorful mesh of tans and the occasional woolen market roofs. People on the streets riding donkey drawn carts quickly dodged out of the way to avoid being trampled and several called insults after us causing Macario to just laugh harder. Then as we passed through looming marble gates to the manor the beast slowed to a stop right at the stairs leading to the entrance. I'd like to say I hopped down with the strength of a natural, but instead I simply tumbled out of the saddle to the hard ground below.

I stayed in that position for a while till after Macario had ridden off to attend to some other matter and Hemetre grabbed me by the shoulders and lifted me off the ground stifling laughter.

"Smooth move genius." Jade laughed, but I didn't mind because her laugh sounded like the tinkling of bells.

The double doors at the top of the stairs were opened by two servants and who I assumed was Lord Sahib walked out behind them beckoning us to come inside. He wore a white robe accented with maroon highlights and a blood red scarf draped around his neck along with several shining charms. He walked with a limp in his step, but at the same time he strutted like he owned the town, and I suppose in this case he pretty much did.

"You see how my little village has prospered and turned into the shining "Golden Port" of the empire, all thanks too my family's efforts mind you. I have more wealth than many kings and a full serving staff to fill my every need." He paused at a window viewing the mountainous hills to the south. "But I have no military, no great warriors, no one to defend my people except for the truly incompetent guard."

He turned to face me and stared deep into my eyes as if he was reading my mind, dissecting me from the inside. "It would seem that Ammon thinks you could be the solution to that. You see out there in those mountains a leopard that size of a lion has been terrorizing the farmers and slaughtering their lifestock. The men they've sent to face it down have yet to return, and that was 3 weeks ago."

I quickly looked to Hemetre thinking the man must be mistaken, but I saw he was staring at me too. Looking between them, I saw that there was no mistake and that this was the "special test" Chief Lector Ammon had in mind, "But I'm just a trainee, nothing special.." Before Hemetre cut me off, "Perseus this is what I've been training you for. You are ready, it's time for you to take the first step."

"So will you or Jade be coming with me?" But I knew the answer from the look on their faces, "You will be dropped off by Macario, I believe you've met, near the mountain base with supplies in this pack." He grabbed an over the shoulder bag that was a beautiful sea blue with gold embroidery, "And then from there you will track the beast and dispose of it."

"When do I leave?" I asked.

"Better sooner than later, so you'll be leaving in 10 minutes enough time to say your goodbyes and then be off before sun fall." Sahib answered with finality, like this could be the last goodbye, which it very well could be. Then he turned to go, but turned back to say, "Just to let you know, that bag is magically blessed by the priests of Ra. You should be able to store it in the Duat without second though if the need ever arrises."

I turned to Hemetre and Jade, who both had concern in their eyes, Jade more so, but they covered it with brave faces. "If I didn't fully believe that you could do this Perseus I wouldn't even let the thought cross my mind of letting you go. But you're more than ready, and once you complete your quest the House will be able to graduate you to a full scribe of the first nome. Come back and make me proud my boy, but if you don't mind taking your time, I've heard Sahib has one of the most impressive collections of old Egyptian magic, speaking of I must find him." And he left Jade and I, looking down hallways to check which one he had gone down.

"Percy, you're gonna do great, I just know you are. And you better come back in one piece or so help me gods." Then she did something that shocked me even more than the news that I was going on a solo suicide mission, she leaned in and kissed me on the cheek. Before I could even respond she ran off in the direction Hemetre had left. I took one last glance back at the two of them turning a corner, and headed back to the front courtyard to board me favorite type of transport.. Rhino.


	5. My Cat From Hell (Giant Leopard Edition)

**{Mountainous Region of Nubia, Ancient Egypt}**

Fulm Rise, the sandy marble mountains of Nubia lay before me its shadow stretched far behind, but in all truth the only thing I could think about was how thirsty I was. The mountains were breathtaking of course, easily the largest structure I've ever seen, and the white marble was accented with veins of gold exposed to the sun and shimmering with a playful light. I stood at the bottom a dark gravel path that lead up the side of the mountain and wrapped around until disappearing from view.

"Back to the matter at hand however." I mumbled to myself as I trekked to the nearby gurgling stream and knelt down on the bank. The water was quick, and as it moved swiftly passed it made a sound as if whispering to me urging to lean closer. As I did so a face formed in the current, if only for a second before it disappeared, but long enough so that I imprinted it in my mind. It was the face of a woman, beautiful with a proud face, one of queens, but also playful and teasing. For some reason the face resonated within me, and a feeling of nostalgia washed over me, but I pushed it away simply taking it as a sign of good fortune.

I reached into the bag and pulled out a water pouch with a reed topper attached with a leather strap, and plunged it into the water filling it up and touching to cool water relaxing my senses temporarily erasing the heat. Then as soon as it had come it was gone and the scorching sun washed back over me. After splashing some water in my face I started my journey up the path.

At the base of the mountain there were little signs of life stemming most likely from the stream, little desert novas sprouted in clumps here and there, their blood red petals a stark contrast to the pale sand and white marble of the mountain. Little sparks seem to fly off the magical flowers, and when I leaned down for a closer look they actually radiated their own heat. I knew I had too grab a sample for Jade and scooped up one of the smaller pants and put it in the side compartment on my pack. Now the hard part was going to remember that it was there and not completely forget about it.

The trek up the mountain path was smooth going for the first bit, but the higher I climbed the more dangerous it became. The once wide and sturdy path started to shrink in size and I had to pay attention to where I was placing my feet lest I lose balance and tumble off the side. The path wrapped around the edge of the mountain so soon I was on the opposite side then I had started and my view of the city was blocked. The air also noticeably started to get thinner leaving me lightheaded and gasping for breathe every few steps.

Soon it got to the point when I simply had to stop and take a break so I sat down on the path dangling my feet over the ledge. Heights had never really been a problem for me, as when I was younger I had always dreamed of flying above the land and oft times Hemetre would have to coax me down from the roof of the First Nome.

Looking down, I saw all of the Egyptian landscape laid out before me, desert stretching for ever and ever, broken up only by the River Nile and I saw the Delta which split the water into several offshoots. The sun was falling ever closer to the sand dunned dotted horizon and the shadows were growing longer as the land itself seem to shift.

A sudden sound to my left made me jump and I scrambled back from the edge trying to identify where the noise had come from. The underbrush shook and I heard the noise again, a soft bleating of an animal in pain. I made my way towards the bush and saw a trail of dark red spots coming from the opposite direction and ending in a thick patch of grasses. Pushing it to the side I saw a goat laying there with an ugly deep gouge of the creatures stomach. It cried weakly when it saw me with its wild eyes and attempted to move only causing more pain.

"Shh, its okay, its okay." I petted the animals back trying to comfort it in its last moments, which I knew they were from the amount of blood pooling up. It seemed to relax slightly and laid its head on the ground its eyes fluttering and breathe growing ever more shallow. I sat with the poor goat until the sun had sunk and the only light was from the illuminations of the desert novas surrounding the clearing. I had rolled up my sleeves to avoid from getting stained, but it was useless as my hands and arms were soon covered from my attempts to make the goat more comfortable by placing it on its side.

The poor animals strength had been all but exhausted and it raised its head one last time to look me in the eyes and nodded as if in respect. Then laying its neck on my lap it took one last shuddering breathe and lay still. I sat there for a while contemplating what to do, knowing that I didn't simply want to leave it lying there for vultures to prey upon. Before I made a decision however the goat started to dissolve into a golden dust and blew into a sudden breeze that had kicked up.

I stood from the spot and saw that the blood had seeped into the earth leaving the spot clean of any incident other than the impression left in the grasses and the blood on my tunic. I knew of course that the leopard had done this and started back on the trail having new found energy to avenge the innocent goat. I stopped to summon my staff from the Duat and pulled my wand from my bag realizing that I must be getting close to the beast's lair.

Odds are I would've have missed the opening and kept climbing all the way to the summit had it not been for the smell of decay and death. There was a low crevice in the side of the mountain expanding out into a full tunnel stark of any lift.

" _Tahen"_ I muttered and the tip of my staff shone with a blue-ish tinted light illuminating the burrow. The passage had a strangely high ceiling despite the low entrance and the roof was dotted with stalactites with razor sharp points. I walked forward following the trail of remnants of the beasts previous meals and prizes, taking several turns until the point where I'd become almost completely disoriented.

I thought about retracing my steps back to the entrance and planning out more of a decisive route when I tripped and stumbled into an underground room littered with bones. As I landed I snapped a couple causing enough noise that I knew that I had just basically sent out a signal for any hungry monsters to come have a free meal. Quickly realizing how noticeable it was I extinguished the light from the staff and struggled to stand while making as little noise as possible.

I backed myself into a wall and tried to make myself as small as possible as I heard a low growl come closer and closer. A hole in the ceiling exposed the cavern to the moonlight and its in this that I saw the beast for the first time, and I knew in that moment I would have nightmares of it for several years.

The leopard was a hulking mass of muscle and it rippled through it's coat of obsidian black spots with every step. It's paws were the size of dinner plates, but landed softly never even cracking a single bone as it stalked it's prey silently. It extended claws of black steel, and opened its mouth to reveal fangs of ivory that were so large they rested outside of the monsters mouth. It's powerful tail waved in anticipation of it's next meal and brushed across the ground.

I made the mistake of breathing because as soon as I did, the beast's head snapped towards me and I nearly froze in terror. The moonshine caught the beast's eyes just right and illuminated them to the point where they looked like blood red gems plucked from hell itself. It took one more step towards me and then lowered itself to the ground in preparation to pounce.

I knew if I let this beast get close to me it would turn me into a pile of shredded meat with those claws. I used the only advantage I had on my side in the form of surprise, and unleashed a sudden blinding light from my staff causing the leopard to stumble back and hiss in anger. It blindly lashed out in anger and caught the tip of my staff shattering the wood in my hand reducing the once beautiful tool of magic into a pile of splinters. I took the moment of distraction and bolted in the opposite direction running into a tunnel different from the one I had come in.

I instantly knew I had made a huge mistake after tripping once more and tumbling down a slope until I rested in a crossway between two tunnels. I was left without a weapon and had no clue which path would take me back to the entrance where perhaps I could use the bigger space to get the jump on the beast. The left one was full of grass and vines hanging on the walls and in the far distance I could see a source of light looking very inviting. On the other hand the right was full of jagged rocks and two spears were jabbed into the ground forming and X over the entrance. I started to rise off the ground and prepared to go through the path on the left, when a shimmering apparition appeared before me.

How to describe him, he was a normal man with tanned skin and he had a big chest. He was wearing what looked like a white bed sheet tied in a way that it covered only half his chest and his legs. Between his hands he juggled a single golden key, it caught the little moonlight that shinned through the roof and gleamed. Then I looked slightly higher and saw his face, or should I say faces. He had two of them sticking horizontally out of his head. The face to the left was bearded and weathered as if he had lived a million life times, but his eyes radiated untold wisdom. The face of the right was young, proud and quite honestly looked similar to a general in the army.

When he, or rather they talked, it sounded like it was only coming in one of my ears, left for the left face and right for the right.

"Perceus Jackson, I've heard of this one." The left face said.

"Oh yes, so have I, 'A boy with limitless potential and the savior' blah blah blah, youth doesn't even look like he can hold a sword." The right face answered.

"You know as well as I do that physical strength is often conquered by that of wisdom." Left face replied.

Um, if I may ask who are you?" I interrupted and for the first time both faces focused completely on me.

"You Egyptians and your lack of knowledge, only concerned with your little bubble." The right far almost sneered.

"Now, now the boy isn't fully Egyptian so ease up, my boy we are your best friend." Left face consoled.

"Your worst enemy"

"Your true goal"

"Your greatest failure."

"I'm Janus," both gods said in harmony, "God of Doorways. Beginnings. Endings. Choices."

"And I'd love to stay and enlighten you, but the monster currently stalking you doesn't seem apt to wait so I'll have to ask you to hurry." There was a flash of lift and in his hands appeared two new items. In his left a simple crook, one used by the sheep herders it's wood a dark shade of brown and clearly worn with use. In his right he held a beautifully crafted spear. It was a stunning polished white wood, but bronze bands wrapped around it in an infinity loop. The tip was a golden metal that almost buzzed with power and gave off its own light. On the other end was a pommel adorned with a blue gem looking strikingly like the sapphire I had lost what felt like moments ago.

"I offer you the chance of a normal life Perseus, one to live out your days in a simple lifestyle. You will face no challenges and live in tranquility, you can escape this beast and return to your home free from your burdens. But your life will have no impact on the world, and your destiny will end much before it even starts. The course of the universe will be forever shifted and because of it great disaster." The left face offered, but in his voice I heard pity.

"An interesting weapon, it blends your ancestry quite nicely, but its amazing it can even exist due to the polar opposites infused in it. Nevertheless, in this hand I offer you the chance of legends to be famed among the ages and too be the key piece in the destiny of the world. However, with great power comes great responsibility and a great price. For every victory you accomplish you will face a tragedy just as great, you will not find rest in this life, but without your sacrifice nothing will ever be the same, and it is through it that your ancestry shall be preserved." The right face said, but even he sounded remorseful as if he was handing me my doom.

I was tempted to take the choice the left offered, I mean I was only a boy, how much could be expected of me. I wanted to live in simplicity, I didn't want tragedy, but even as I considered it I knew I couldn't. Perhaps it was an act of stupid bravado or a deeper sense of moral conclusion, but I grabbed the spear from the right hand and felt a sudden surge of power rush through me. A red aura surrounded me and glowed brighter until I was surrounded and then with a flash it was gone. However, it left several remaining effects, my body had matured in the matter of seconds. I knew I was suddenly much taller than previously, simply by sizing myself up to Janus, who I no longer had to look up at. My previously none existent muscles had developed hundred fold in the form of real definition and my chest was more pronounced.

"The aura of the War God.. You are quite special Perseus, but I must bid you farewell and good luck." Janus said as one and disappeared by turning his key, which had reappeared, in the air and vanishing.

The tunnel to the left collapsed with a massive roar leaving only a pile of rubble and the wing to the right. I knew the leopard must have heard it and took off in a dead sprint down the tunnel. I dodged in between the jagged spikes with a new sense of agility and started to pick up speed as the ground evened out. Despite my newfound energy though, I still heard the beast closing in on me hissing in furiousness every time it barreled through the spikes crushing the rock as if paper.

After running for several minutes I saw a source of light ahead and bolted towards it jumping over a small pit that went on for forever. I got closer and closer squinting as my eyes adjusted to the light, and because of this I nearly ran right off of the platform jutting out of the side of the mountain. The edge went straight to a pool of water hundreds of feet below that had been formed by the stream. I whipped around to retreat back into the tunnel and find a safer way down when my breathe caught in my throat.

The leopard had finally found me, and it was much much larger than I had previously thought and even with my new growth it still dwarfed me. It was about two-thirds the size of the rhino that had terrified me before, and it didn't have claws and fangs sharp enough to shred me by just looking at them. The monster licked its teeth and prowled towards me watching me hungrily with its demon eyes. It had cut the distance in half by the time I recovered enough to brandish the spear in front of me and to my surprise it hissed in response and recoiled as if stung.

"That's right you over sized kitten, I've got a new toy to replace the one you so rudely destroyed." I attempted to taunt, but my words fell flat as soon as I had said them and the beast soon regained its posture and extend it's claws even further than before. It took another step forward when a falcon swooped in out of nowhere and raked at one of the monsters eyes making the one bright red spotlight go dark. It then flapped over and landed on the lip of the cave entrance, happy to sit and watch the battle now that it had evened the scales.

I knew that I had to take advantage of the temporary distraction the falcon had caused and capitalize on the leopard's confusion. I went on the offense and lunged at the beast with my spear, but it simply knocked me to the ground with an off handed swing with one of its paws. I felt hot pain run up chest as I looked down and saw the quickly darkening tunic soaked with my blood. Rather than get nauseous the sight of my own blood, it caused my blood to boil with rage and I pressed forward with a new sense of urgency.

I jabbed at the beast glancing its side and drawing blood, then rolled under a swipe that would've took my head off. I swept out it's other leg with the back of my staff causing it to stumble forward loosing its balance. I thrusted the spear tip at it's head and only managed to knick it's ear. My breathes were becoming shallower and knew that I was loosing blood fast, and if I didn't finish this up soon I would die on this mountain.

In one last fit of stupidity I threw my wand off my back at the beasts smacking it square in between the eyes. I walked backwards and snared my foot in an over grown root ending up on my back. It roared with a furious growl, tensed and then pounced with its fangs aimed directly at my throat. Time seemed to slow down, as if moving through molasses and I knew exactly what to do as I grabbed the spear and with one final push of energy jabbed it into the beast's maw piercing through and stabbing into the brain.

The beast let out one more great shudder before it grew still and crumpled to dust as the goat had done before. Soon the only remnant left was the skin of the leopard, now shrunk that would fit perfectly as a cape. But my glorious moment was soon cut short as I realized the full extent of damage the beast had down. I had three jagged claw marks running from my chest to hip, and they were bleeding none stop.

"That stupid leopard tore up my new body before I could even enjoy the look on Jade's face, damn it." I swore to no one in particular, but then as in response the falcon from before flew over and landed on the ground next to me, and unless my eyes were playing tricks on me, it shifted into a man dressed in the pharaohs garb with brilliant bright blue gleaming eyes. And then in a second it all clicked together.

"Lord Horus, an honor." I said weakly as I attempted to raise my arm to my breast in a salute, but my body was still going through shock.

"Hush son, I'm hear to help." And with that he scooped me up along with my spear and wrapped the leopard cloak around my waist. He walked to the edge of the platform and looked down at the water below and then looked at me, "I'm sorry, but this is the only way to save you. I hope you'll forgive me in future."

Before I could ask what he meant, Horus put the spear in my hands and dropped me, and I tumbled through the air. Needless to say, I was scared out of my wits, but I was so dazed I didn't even struggle as I watched Horus flash in a golden light and disappear, and I had just managed to look down to see my fast encroaching doom as I smacked into the water. Just as I did, I felt the familiar touch of unconsciousness rush to meet me and my vision faded to black as I sank to the bottom.

 **A/N: Hey guys I** **thought** **it high time to post once again and I must say I'm pretty proud with how this story is shaping up, but perhaps its too soon to say. Regardless, without your guys support none of this would be** **possible so I'd love to give back in the form of interacting with you guys. Currently I have two pressing matters, one being that I'm looking for a new Beta, one to keep me on schedule and also to catch those pesky spelling mistakes (alongside story inconsistencies, oops I'm not perfect) that always slip through. So if you're interested send me a PM.**

 **Another thing is I'm opening up to suggestions for a name for Percy's new spear. So comment possible ideas and I'll review them and you could be the lucky winner.**

 **So until next times, may your swords stay as sharp as your wit.**


	6. The Lady Of The River

**{Nile River Delta, Ancient Egypt}**

When I first came too I opened my eyes to see the sun above me, but I could stare directly into it and it seemed to flow in a distorted fashion as if the sky itself had ripples running through it. I craned my neck to my left, through it required great effort, and I saw the river bed silt churning up from the fish swimming too and fro with almost human like purpose. They disappeared and reappeared in the kelp that surrounded me in a circle pattern and as I followed them with my eyes I realized that I was in a bed fashioned out of underwater plant life and at each corner sprouted water lilies that glowed with an ethereal light.

I looked to my feet and saw they were bare and my sandals were placed beside me. Then with alarm, I quickly tore off my shirt that had been reduced to shreds and searched for the gaping claw marks that had been my parting gift from the leopard. They were gone replaced with light white scars that stood out against my tan skin and they protruded out from my flesh about a couple centimeters. I traced the scars with my fingers and felt a shock of pain as if I was reliving the injury all over again, hunching up my back and howling like an injured animal.

A disturbance to my right drew my eye as a woman swam or rather floated into the clearing and came rushing to my aid. She touched my skin and the pain instantly soothed, receding into a dull tinge instead of the searing hot burning it had been seconds before.

"You must rest and leave the wound to heal, this is the first time your body has ever accepted the waters power to restore you. If you hadn't been in such a weak state your body probably would have tried to reject it and you would have died. Even as it is however, it's not perfect so once again I must urge you to rest." Her words were warbled and instead of coming her mouth, they seemed to come from the river itself. She had a distinct accent to her tone of voice as well, similar to the Mediterranean merchants that sometimes came to the market in Heliopolis. Her hair was a light green and flowed in the water in slow motion, and her eyes were a brilliant blue-green that looked as if the river had been condensed into gems.

At first I could only open and close my mouth like a fish out of water, because at that second it hit me that I was underwater and I was breathing perfectly fine, well up until that point at least. I started to try and hold my breathe until my lungs screamed for air and I had no choice but to breathe in and the pressure relieved itself. "I can breathe underwater..? I don't have gills do I?" I instantly felt around my neck searching for the presence of flappy flesh, but to my relief I found none.

The woman looked hurt and push her flowing hair over her should and felt at her neck revealing gills in the side, which honestly didn't look too bad on her. "Now there's nothing wrong with gills young man." She said indigently.

Once again I was lost for words as I started to blubber, "Of course not, I just meant that ugh." and trailed off, but by the look on the woman's face she had already forgotten the offhanded insult and seemed much more concerned with checking out my chest looking for possible problems. As she delicately ran her fingers down the scars, I once again felt a shock but in a much less dosage and after it had passed it felt looser as if the skin was no longer tensed for attack.

"Is that better?" She asked her fingers idly running across the pattern that had been left across my recently sculpted chest.

"Much, much better." Trying to keep the tremble out my voice, "But I must ask, who are you?"

She turned to me with a sad look on her face and folded her hands, "I think you mean to say what am I, and the answer to that young man is that I am the Naiad of the Nile, as to who I am; I am Caliadne. Your father and I recently became well acquainted and so he asked a favor of me, too protect you, a favor I am all too happy too comply with, but I'm afraid you must go to sleep once again my young hero. You'll need your energy for the journey back home."

I reached out and grabbed her hand, her fingers were delicate, thin and seemed so small in comparison to my recently enhanced hands. "Thank you, for everything."

She looked at me with those sad eyes once more before mouthing, "You're welcome," and swam off the way she had came leaving me alone to drift off into dream land.

—

I opened my eyes after a dreamless sleep, they must have some sort of underwater magic here and I should remember to ask how to do it, but this time instead of the sun far above, a shining silver disk hung in the sky. The surface of the water must have been considerably calmer, because the only ripples that ran across the picture perfect scene above me were those caused by the water bugs zooming to and fro.

The stars twinkled far above, creating a light show of alternating flashing colors and then a bright streak of light cut across the sky and then just as quick disappeared.

"The sky is truly amazing, holds many wonders begging to be explored." Caliadne said, and I noticed her sitting beside me for the first time, "Perhaps some day my young hero, but today you are needed by your people back in Heliopolis, I'm afraid they're concerned for your safety."

I shot up in the bed, for the first time remembering those that I had left back home and for all they know I could dead. Hemetre and Jade must be worried sick, Gods they were gonna kill me, "Wait my lady why are they back in Heliopolis, shouldn't they still be in Nubia?"

"The day after you journeyed up the mountain to slay the beast, Lord Sahib sent a party to check on your progress and when they found the lair deserted and the cliff over the river filled with signs of a conflict, including quite a bit of your blood, and assumed the worst. However, when they brought the news back of your apparent demise, your companions refused to believe and journeyed back home to see if they could scry your location. Of course I had to prevent them from doing so because of the stakes at hand and personally I enjoy the privacy I currently have and would hate to have that ruined." She told me this as she whisked about, gathering things from the room, she put my leather waterskin and the box with charms in the pack that Sahib had given me. Also she grabbed a new pair of sandals from a larger than usual tuna who had floated into the room with the shoes strapped around his fin.

She grabbed a pale blue undershirt made of a flowing material off a concrete slab and handed it too me, and as I donned it my muscles relaxed. "It's imbued with the healing powers of the water so if you happen to stumble across another monster who wants to tear your head off, it might save your life. Now docked to the nearby embankment is a reed raft that will take you too your destination."

"Thank you for everything, truly I do not know how to ever repay you my lady." I said rising out of the bed and strapping the sandals to my feet and stretching my muscles. I wrapped the leopard skin around my shoulders like a cape and as soon as I touched it the fur became dry even though it should be soaking wet.

"Perhaps you could save the world, and if you ever have a spare moment in your heroic journey stop by and visit the river that saved you." Caliadne said over her shoulder as she swam into the kelp and disappeared from sight.

I took one more look around me and felt the tranquility on the river bed, and shuddered as I remembered Janus' words of worse pain to come then swam up to the surface and over to the raft, ready to return home.

 **A/N: Short Chapter I know, but I've been swamped with finals so as soon as** **those** **are finished we should be in the clear for full on writing time. But something is better than nothing so hope you enjoyed and I'll see you back here shortly. (PS still accepting applications for a Beta so feel free to send it my way, wink wink.)**


	7. Returning Home

**{Heliopolis, Ancient Egypt}**

It took me just under four days to sail from the spot that I had floated to in the Nile Delta, but finally as the moon was edging it's way over the horizon I reached home. The lights on the embankment near Heliopolis shone like beacons welcoming me. I wasted no time tying up the raft to the dock and leaving the attendant there with a couple gold coins Lord Sahib had put in my bag with the promise I would return soon. Passing through the deserted market stalls at night was one of my favorite things to do when I was younger, but instead of gawking I rushed past with a sense of urgency. The embankment was a good mile or two outside of the main part of the city, but my excitement at seeing Hemetre and Jade again pushed me faster with every step and I soon reached the entrance to the First Nome. Out of breathe I traced the doorway with my staff, and stepped back awaiting the Sphinx to arrive to grant me entrance.

It arrived alright pouncing out of the wall with the ferocity of a feral dog protecting his territory. Taken aback I threw my hands up, dropping the staff in the process to show I meant no harm.

The Sphinx squinted at me with its piercing ghostly eyes and then focused on the staff now laying in the sand, emitting a soft blue light from the sapphire set into its head. It pawed at the staff and I was shocked to see the staff actually move when touched by what I had previously always thought to be a purely ethereal figure. The Sphinx bent forward and sniffed it, then leapt back hissing as if stung.

"Bahari ya Kizazi." It muttered as if a curse, then it turned it's full attention back to me. "Young one, it has been awhile since you have returned home, the masters were starting to worry. And now looking at what you have brought back I fear they may have been right in doing so."

"Great Sphinx, I know you to be of great knowledge rivaling that of even the God Thoth, pray tell me what is it you mean." I inquired trying to remain as respectful as possible.

"Your staff, Bahari should not exist young one, though perhaps I was too rash in my judgement. I know you to be pure of heart and therefore I trust you to bear it. Just remember who your people are when the time comes." With that the Sphinx faded into the air and the doorway appeared. I scooped Bahari out of the sand where it lay and dismissed it to the Duat hoping to avoid anymore awkward encounters because of it.

I stepped inside and saw the braziers burning, they were flickering casting long shadows. I hurried to the chamber of the Chief Lector hoping to find my uncle by his side as he often times was. I passed several rooms and though it was late at night a couple magi were out and made hushed whispers to each other as I passed. Becoming painfully aware of the changes my body had undergone, I picked up my pace flying through the corridor until I reached the entrance to the Hall of Ages. Remembering the motion Hemetre had made with his hand I mimicked it and mentally pushed the wall. At first I felt a bit of resistance, as if my mind was pushing open a door and finally with a click I succeeded. The wall folded inward on itself, carving a doorway to perfectly accommodate my passing and as soon as I stepped over the threshold it started to close up behind me.

The eerie gold and silver light from the depictions on the wall shone bright as ever, however upon closer inspection I saw something that shocked me. It was a scene of me kneeling presenting the leopard skin to Chief Lector Ammon. I was so intrigued by this that I almost didn't hear Hemetre calling my name from where he sat next to the Chief Lector on the steps. I turned to him and he saw that it truly was me and ran to embrace me shouting jubilations the entire way. We met and all the tension I had been carrying since my encounter with the leopard melted away as I took comfort in his arms realizing that I was finally home. I pulled back to see his face and saw tears streaming down his cheeks.

"I'm so sorry my boy, I wanted to wait for you in Nubia, but Jade thought it be smarter to come back and try to scribe your location. And then when we couldn't find you with the bowl and with all the blood we saw on the cliff. Oh my boy I am so sorry." And he embraced me again squeezing me in only the way a father can.

"I do not blame you at all, I promise. I love you." I said with a trembling voice trying to convey my feelings to him. We broke from our embrace and he stepped back and then as if for the first time noticed the development my body had gone through.

"I see you have much to tell us young Perseus, please tell the Chief Lector and I what has happened." And he stepped back to take his position behind the Chief Lector on the steps.

As I recounted my experiences from the time spent on the mountain I went into great detail, and the Chief Lector raised his eyebrows at the finding of the sheep. However, for some reason I felt inclined to leave out the parts of the story, such as the encounter with Janus, Horus, and Caliande. My meetings with these deities were something that I held to be personally ordained and therefore kept to just myself.

I summoned Bahari to explain away the changes to my physicality. "I was surrounded by a strange red aura when I first picked up Bahari." Which technically wasn't a lie, I just didn't go into great depth about how I discovered Bahari in the first place. They didn't seem to take much notice of the lack of explanation, they were to caught up in the artistry that went into creating such a weapon. Hemetre turned it over looking for inscriptions, but finding none he asked me how I came up with the name.

"When I entered the First Nome, the Sphinx guarding the door called it the 'Bahari ya Kizazi' and it stuck I suppose." And in response the staff hummed with an excited energy.

"The Sea of Ancestry, interesting..." Chief Lector Ammon said looking at the staff with such intensity that I feared he knew what else the Sphinx had said. In my fright I recalled the scene I had seen on the wall. I knelt down in front of the Chief and the sudden formality caused him to set aside Bahari.

"Chief I present to you a tribute to honor you and all of Egypt. I give you the coat of the Demon Leopard of Nubia, slain by my hands to protect the people. Please accept my offering and recognize my resolve." I said with my eyes glued to the ground unable to make eye contact. I knew not where the words were coming from just that they were flowing out of me like a river.

"Usually we have a big ceremony for this, but I sense the truth in your words and your heart." The Chief Lector said as he accepted the skin. He draped it around his shoulders and with a flash of dazzling light it bound itself to the purple cloak he already wore. "I inquire to the Gods upon their thrones in the heavens above to bless this initiate as he becomes a full fledged member of the First Nome."

As he was talking the hieroglyphics floating around him intensified becoming as bright and as radiant as liquid gold. "King Horus upon your throne guide this man through his life and bestow upon him the fury and passion that you posses. Queen Isis bestow on your servant your guidance through the dark. King Osiris from your throne below the earth, aid him to make the hard decisions on a king can." As he was speaking one symbol in particular burned bright and stabilized in the air.

"Extend your forearm Perceus." I heard Hemetre whisper to me. Doing so, I brandished the bare skin to the air and the symbol descended down until it was floating just above my arm.

"Do you accept the sworn duty to preserve and protect your people?" Chief Lector asked.

"I do."

"Then accept the mark of the First Nome, and be branded a scribe of Egypt!" He said his voice growing louder with each word. I smelt the burnt hairs before I felt the mark brand itself into my skin. It sizzled before completely taking control and settling. I looked down at it and thought to myself, "That wasn't too bad."

I wish I hadn't thought that.

The dimmed hall started to fill with a heavenly aura, and I at once recognized it came from the throne. Thinking that this was just part of the ceremony I stayed kneeling, but Hemetre and the Chief Lector fell prostrate before it. I heard the call of a falcon and then with a bang the throne was suddenly occupied.

Not by Hor-Aha, but by a bigger figure. He look regal in the throne as if he was born to be king. He raised his head and my eyes met his and with a shock I recognized for the second time who it was. The two different color eyes made him unmistakable. Before me in the throne sat the king of the Gods, Horus.

"Hello Perceus, I heard someone invoke my name and wanted to come see what it was all about. Fancy seeing you here again, told you you would survive the fall." He winked at me and walked over where I was still kneeling with my forearm extended. "Let me give you a little gift, a graduation present if you may."

He looked me in the eyes one last time and then grasped my forearm with his hands and pressed his palm against it. At first it felt warm, but then it soon became unbearably hot to the point where my very blood felt like it was evaporating. My body was having a war with itself, and I did the only thing I could to survive, something I had become much too good at. I fainted.

 **A/N: Sometimes I think we have to take a step back to truly value what we've been given and I did that. Granted it was quite a big step back, but I've eventually, slowly and painfully have worked my way back. Thank you all so much for being the amazing audience you are, I couldn't do it without you. Please as always read, review, and share it and I promise to see you back here soon.**


	8. I Really Hate Hospitals (And Tattoos)

**A/N: Quick Author's Note before we get into it, I just wanted to thank each and everyone of you who have read my story and continue with me on this adventure. You are the best inspiration anyone could have so thank you. Also wanted to comment on the fact that how many chapters have I ended with Percy passing out, I mean come on man.**

 **{Heliopolis, Ancient Egypt}**

"I really gotta stop doing that." I thought aloud as I blinked my eyes open to the sight of the infirmary's ceiling.

"Yeah, not gonna lie it's starting to get a little wimpy, plus I cannot tell you how tired I am of sitting in this chair. I can tell you right now if I end up getting back problems because of it, I just might have to kill you." I rolled over to see Jade's piercing purple eyes staring intently at me. There were obvious signs of concern on her face, probably due to the fact that this was the first time she was seeing me in a week and I was right back in a hospital bed.

"Ooh was someone worried about me?" I teased.

"Not even close doofus, I just wanted to make sure that you would still be around so I could show you up in literally everything. Plus you drool while you sleep, and there was no way in the world I was missing an opportunity to see that."

I quickly went to wipe my face and felt my cheeks burn red from embarrassment. "Whatever, you're just.. just.." I struggled to come up with an insult to say, and I am fully going to blame that one on the fact I had just woken up from a mini coma.

"Brilliant, beautiful, intelligent, charismatic, influential? I think any of those would fit quite nicely wouldn't you Hemetre?" At the sound of her saying this I flipped to my side and saw my favorite man in the whole world enter through the white linen blanket they had draped in order to provide me some privacy.

"Don't forget humble my dear." Which caused Jade's cheeks to turn just as red as my own. "Percy I'm glad to see you're awake, you scare me half to death every single time. However, I suppose by that logic I would already be 2 halves dead. Hmm quite a curious expression."

"You do have a knack for picking the curious ones Hemetre, as Perseus has so kindly demonstrated for us." Chief Lector Ammon said as he followed Hemetre. "Not only has he managed to be the youngest graduated initiate after so bravely embarking on a journey to slay a leopard, but during said graduation managed to attract none other than the king of the God's to bestow his blessing."

Jade whipped her head back to focus on me and gave me a quick slap on the wrist. "Why in the world did you not tell me?"

"Probably because, I don't know, I was awake for all of two seconds before my hospital room became a party. Isn't there a nurse that's supposed to keep you guys out so that I can rest?" I pleaded, hoping that no one else decided to peek their heads in and complicate the situation further.

"Jade if I may, I need a word alone with Perseus and I promise you that once I am done you can tear into him all that you want." Chief Lector Ammon said.

Jade seemed unsure at first as if she didn't keep her eyes on me at all times that I would disappear in a puff of smoke. "Go, I'll be fine, trust me I'm not going anywhere." Which seemed to satisfy her enough so she left with Hemetre after he had suggested they get something to eat from the nearby vendors.

As the Chief Lector approached my bed side, his face obviously conflicted, I started to fear for my own safety and really wished I was still gonna be able to keep that promise to Jade. "Perseus, you are an enigma that I can simply not figure out. Now boy, I need you to tell me everything that happened on your journey, if you don't it could spell out disaster not just for yourself, but the entirety of the world as we know it. Fear not, I am not your enemy, I just want to help but I'm afraid I can't do that unless you allow me to."

I was torn between telling him the truth or once again trying to cover it up, but when I looked him in the eye I knew that I really didn't have much of a choice. When I was in ba form I remember overhearing Abysa say that the Chief had studied the art of divination in secret and of course I had been a little skeptical. Looking in his eyes I knew my skepticism was completely unfounded, there was the wisdom of a thousand years aging back to the time when the gods roamed the land no different than mortals in those eyes. He knew back to the time of creation when Ra broke free from the sea of chaos and began his immortal crusade against Apophis. This was not a man that I could hide the truth from and so I told him everything that had happened, even including the strange events leading up to the journey. The more I spoke, the more concerned he became until finally when I was done he took a step back and turned away from me finding a sudden interest in the wall behind him.

"Chief Lector, what does it all mean?" I half asked, half pleaded the despair shockingly evident in my voice even to me. Everything I had ever known had been turned on it's head these past few days and now it felt like I was drowning in the weight of it all not even knowing which way was up.

The Chief Lector turned around to face me and I knew that my troubles would not get any easier anytime soon. "Young Perseus, fate was not kind to you at your birth and for that I could not be more sorry. I am sure you have a long destiny laid in front of you, but that journey will put you through enough heartbreak and misery to break any man. Now I must ask you have you heard any mention of the Greeks?"

"Just little bits here and there that Hemetre mentioned in passing, they're a mostly nomadic people with little to no unified culture and very little infrastructure. Oh and Hemetre served me some fruit juice that he was sold by merchants from some mountain, but I can't remember which one." I said trying to squeeze out everything I could possibly know about these people as if it were life and death, looking at the Chief's face it looked like it might just be.

"You are partially correct my boy, the Greek's are a newly budding civilization from north of the Mediterranean Sea. They are indeed a mostly nomadic people however, they are starting to settle down due to the influence of some outside powers. You were incorrect in saying they had no culture which is actually their primary reason for settling down. You see these Greek's worship a completely different pantheon of god's, the Olympians as they liked to be called."

I felt a sudden tug in my stomach at the mention of this and interrupted saying, "It is common for people to worship deity's in order to explain away that which they cannot understand, surely they're not real."

"Think about it Perseus, I'm sure people felt the exact same way when they heard about the Egyptian pantheon. People are not as easily fooled as you would assume, these Greek people would not have been able to found a widely accepted story of history and accounts of these gods if they didn't actually exist, but I feel like you already know that don't you?"

"What do you mean?" I asked feeling apprehensive about what he was going to say next, fearing that it might change my life forever. "Why does all these Greek stuff matter to me anyways."

"What do you know of your parents Percy?" he asked throwing me off.

"Um, I don't know much really. Just the little I've been able to squeeze out of Hemetre if we're being honest. And all he tells me is that they were important people and they loved me, but they weren't allowed to keep me for some reason."

"Once again Perseus you are partially correct, your parents were and are some of the most important people of this entire age and they both adored you." He mused. "However, the reason for them not being able to keep you is far more complex then you might yet realize. There's no easy way to say this my boy so I'll just come out with it, your father was Poseidon, Greek god of the sea."

Blank. That's about the only thing I could process, trying to wrap my head around the fact that the Chief Lector, a man who I respected and was valued as the smartest magician of all the known world, just claimed that I, an orphan, was the son of a god. The idea was so ridiculous I almost laughed out loud, and I would've if not the look of pity on the Chief's face, he looked as though he was already picking out the design I would have on my sarcophagus.

"But how..." A million questions raced through my head, and I didn't't know which to start with first.

"I'm sorry, but I'm not finished either. You see up until this point we, Hemetre and I had no clue who your mother was, thinking she was simply an Egyptian commoner who had somehow caught the sea god's eye. If this would've been the case, it would've been a much easier solution, we would've raised you for a while and then once you were ready sent you to live among the Greeks. However, this last encounter with Horus all but confirms it, Perseus you have the blood of the pharaohs coursing through your veins meaning that your mother was the late queen Neithhotep."

That name caused my blood to freeze in my veins, I knew that name and I knew that face. I thought back to the images floating in the Hall of Ages, of her face sticking out to me, calling to me. Images started to flood back, I remember glimpses of her as she ran, loud noises following behind us, I was much to young to process any of it, but even as I baby I knew it was trouble. I remember the soft sound of her voice calming me as she laid me in the basket and the soft whispering of her blessings. Though they were as quiet as a summer breeze I remember her invoking the name of the river goddess Nephthys.

"But that means..."

"Yes, that means you're royalty, which I'm afraid is why your mother had to send you away out of fear of what your brother might do if he was to ever find out. However, at this point your brother finding out is the least of our worries. Let me see your arm, I promise I'm done branding you I just need to see."

I hesitantly offered it out to him and winced slightly as he rolled the sleeve up to expose the skin underneath. It was an ugly red blotchy color and the skin was sensitive even to the light breeze that blew through the open window. Standing out as clear as day from the ruined skin were two symbols. The first was inscribed in black ink, and it was the insignia of the House of Life, the Per Ankh. The ankh was slightly raised in comparison with the box around it, and as the Chief Lector traced his fingers over the pattern he muttered a quiet spell under his breath. The breeze intensified for a second and my skin tingled with a cold burning and then within a moment it was over and the skin had visibly recovered. "Just trying to help out with some of the damage I inflicted." He chuckled.

Then his chuckling died off as he looked at the worse wound still present on my forearm, the burns were blistered and raw. The skin itself in spots was cracked as if it had left out in the sun for too long. However clearly evident through the blood stained skin was a collage of navy blues, whites, and brilliant golds. It was easily the most beautiful tattoo I had ever seen and would've been completely mesmerized by it had it not hurt so damn much. Seeing it gave me the sudden urge to scratch at it, but deep down I knew that would only serve to reopen the scabbed skin. Trying to distract myself I instead inspected the tattoo that Horus had so graciously bestowed upon me, of course without my permission though I suppose god's rarely do anything with permission. Honestly though, the inscription was so beautiful if the whole god thing didn't work out for Horus he could definitely get a job as one of those local tattoo artists.

"It's the Eye of Horus, the Wadjet as it's commonly called." The Chief Lector answered to my unspoken question. "You see we believe it's divided into six parts to represent the six different senses." I remembered Hemetre mentioning it in our studies, back in simpler times. The curve on top, the eyebrow was a navy blue outline by gold in a way that it seemed to pop right off of the skin. It was said to represent thought. Below that was the main part of the eye with the iris and surrounding area colored a deep blue hinted with flecks of gold, almost similar to my own. The two parts separated by the iris were a perfect white without hint of blemish. The one on the left was said to symbolize smell while the right side was supposed to be hearing. The iris itself of course was representative of the sense of sight. Finally extending from the bottom of the eye were two lines, one straight down with the other at an angle to the left and ending in a curly bit. The straight one stood for touch and the one at an angle for taste.

The entirety of the tattoo was outlined by gold as pure as the kind I had seen in Nubia, and made the tattoo seem all that more realistic as if the eye truly was staring right back at me. It must have been able to read my mind also because as soon as I thought that I was racked with a searing pain originating from that spot on my forearm. It burned through my body in a matter of seconds, but it left tears in my eyes and me gasping for breathe.

"Please is there anything you can do?" I begged of the Chief Lector, fearful of another attack.

"I'm sorry I wish I could, but a god's magic is not something I dare tamper with. I could very easily make it worse than it already is."

Great I thought just another thing I get to go through life with.

"However there is one thing that could help, it'd be risky though." The Chief Lector mused.

"Anything I'll do anything."

"Tell me Perseus, how much do you know about the Sands of Time?"

 **A/N: Boom, didn't see that one coming did ya. I've got a lot more in store where that came from so make sure you keep coming back. Percy's got quite the adventure in front of him, so buckle up and enjoy the ride. I hope you liked this chapter, it took me a while to formulate everything and make sure you review so I can continue to improve our story.**


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